Car-coupling



No. 525,253. Patend Mar. 14;.m9.

' A MUN am Wmme.

,Applicutan Edad Apr. 1B, 1598.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

'I in section, and l` ALONZO KELLY,

OF IIA RRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application led April 18, 1898.

Patent No. 621,253, dated March 14, 1899. Serial No. 677,999. (Nomodel.)

T) (LIZ 707mm/ it 77mg/ concern:

'Beitl known that I, A1,' iNzo KELLY, a eiiiaen ofthe L'nited States,residingat Harris` urg, in the-county et Dauphin and State ot'Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in(far-Couplers; and I do declare the following to be exact descriptionofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use thesame, reference bcinghad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Ny object is to provide an automatic carconpler improved means wherebyuncoupling will be automatically accomplished should a draw -baraccidentally pull out.

A further object is the provision of novel devices adapted to permittwisting oi the couplers on their longitudinal' axes and also to allowthem to yield laterally when the cars are going around a curve.

A still l'urther 'object is head and knuckle both construction that thebetween the pivot of drmv-liead.

Another object is tht.l provision of uneoup ling mechanism ot novelconstruction whereby nncoupling can be accomplished from the side of thecar and the couplers can be prevented from coupling.

llaving the loregoing and other objects in view, the invention consistsof a ear-coupler and uneoupling mechanism comprising eertain improvedfeatures and combinations ol' parts appnu'iug more fully liereinattei4and pointed out. in the claims,

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis aperspectivc viewoil thm-ndotacarequipped with my improved car-coupler and nncoupling mechanism.Figs. L and i are detail views et' the improved bearings for thenncoupling-lever; l, a plan view, partially in section; Fig` 5, a sidilelevation, alsopartl) ig-s. t; and 7 are views showing the improvedknuckle and draw-head and illustrating the dirl'crent positions of theknuckle pivot-piu.

l ie drz'uv-heads are shown at l duplicates one only will be to providea drawol' suoli improved strain will be divided the knuckle and the anddescribed.

being The a full, clear, and

l draw-head consists of two parls, which are pivoted together at 2, sothat the i may spread or expand under lateral strain, as when the carsare going around a curve. A leaf-spring 3, secured to the d raw-bar fi,has its free end caring against the side of the pivoted seetion of thedraw-head and keeps the latter normally closed. The tail-bolt 5 hasaround head 6wh1eh is received in a chamber 7 in the rear end of thedraw-bar 4, this chamber being closed at the top by a cap S, held inposition by bolts 9 and ll). 'll permits of the easy connection ot barand tail-bolt, and a strong swivelcd cenneetion is thereby had, so thatwhen the coupler is in useitcan turn somewhat on its longitudinal axis,and hence more perfectl accommodate itself to the movements of the car.

The numeral 1;

designates the knuckle, having the coupling it to a link-coupler, if theoccasion for so doing arises. rlhis knuckle has a pivot-pin opening orslot l2 extending therethrough from top to bottom, which is ofsubstantially rightangular shape, being composed of the )ortions orbranches 13 and H. The tail of the knuckle is pro 'ided with arc-shapedribs l5 l'or reception in corresponding grooves 17and lh in the pivotcdsection ol' the draw-head. lhe pivot-pin for the knuckle is shown at 10, the same passing through the opening l2', heretofore described.

'lhe numeral flfidesignates a ribbon-spring secured to the pivotedsection of the drawhead and having both of its ends bearing on theknuckle. A coil-spring lyseated in the draw head, bears against the tailof the knnekleand constantly tends'to open the latter. 'A locking barorlatch .2 extends vertically within the draw-head, being pivoted theretoat 23 and having its lower end adapted for engagement with the tail ofthe knuckle. The upper end of the latch is bent or inclined toward theear. A'coupliug-box 37 is fitted over and secured to the squared lowerend of the latch 22, being provided with a hook A coil-spring 24 ishorizontally disposed within the draw-head for holding the lower end IOOscribed. When the lever is returned tenormal position, the spring'l-iwill throw the latch into locking position. 'l`hcse operations can beaccomplished with satety from the side ol' the ear.

The peculiar connections between the knuckle and the draw-luwulconstitute valuablefeaturesofthcpresentinvention. `\\"hen the knuckle isopen, the pivohpin l'. is located in the end of branch slot lil, whereit is held by the action ol' the longer portion ol' the ribbon-springLll. When the tail ol the knuckle is struck during the f oupliugoperation, the movement ol' the knuckle causes the pin to assume aposition at tho angle ol ilubranch slots, and when couplim.'- is liuallyac-v complished the pull exerted on the knuekle. causes the pin to passinto slot .i. \\'h n the knuckle is struck by the companion coupler, theribs on said knuckle enter the grooves in the draw-head. Consetpientlyupon the knuckle becoming locked the strain is divided between the ribsand grooves and the pivot-pin, so that liability ol breakage ol' thelatter is considerably lessened and lateral movement of the knuckle isalso prevented.

Ilaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Iatent, is'

l. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head, ol' a knucklehavingl a continuous pivot-pin slot or opening composed of twocommunicating branch slots disposed at an angle to each other, and apivot-pin passing through the draw-head and the slot aforesaid, andadapted for movement in thc branch slots relatively of the knuckle,caused by; he movement of the latter, substantiallyas described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head, of a knucklehaving a continuof the latch in locking position, one end ol' l thespring being seated on a. block 25, lixed in thedraw-hcad, and the otherend surroundinghook 13S and bearing against hexV 237. A horizontal link2G is engaged with hook 3S and extends through the coil-spring, itsopposite end being provided with an eye 27, adapted for the reception ofa vertical pin 2S. 'l`hc upper portion ol` this pin passes through ahole 2'. in the top oi' tho draw-bar l, this holebeing largo enough toallow the lower portion of the pin to swingl in an (amiga-led slot il()in thc lower portion ol` the draw-bar, so that by throwing the lower endol` the pin backward the latch will be retracted and thc knuckle t'rced.This operation of the pin is automatically performed by the usual yoke3l, which supports tho draw-head, for it will be observed that shouldthe draw-head pull out this yoke will come in contact with the lower endof the pin and pull it backward, thereby drawi ug on the lower end ofthe latch through the medium olf the link and uncoupling the part-s.

\\"it'nin the draw-head is a longitudinallydisposed bar 32, providedwith an elongated slot Z333, through which the upper portion of the pin2S passes. Connected to the forward end of thc bar 3 is a transverselink 34, which is pivotcd to one section of the drawhead at andconnected to the other scction Athereof by a slot-and-pin connection3e'. This bar and link limits the spread of the sections of thedraw-head, and should any of the parts attached to them break they willbe suspended and prevented from falling on the track.

My improved u1ic nu )ling-lcvcr -l-. has an ar'zn lil at its inner end,which terminates in trip 11S, disposed in the same plane with 'theinclined `tig-per end the latch 22, said lever i ons pivot-pin slot oropeningcomposedof two extenda' f herir lv to the side of the ear, l'eonnnunicatingbranch slots, apivot-pinpassh a crank-handle, and ingthrough the draw-head and slot, and

i i i i earings All and 15, conadaptcd .for movement in the branch slots,Een Alil-luisa horizontallyrelatively of. the knuckle, and a springcoop- ',.zig i6, adapted to rec eratingw'ith the knuckle te maintain tbepin u' member I7 on the in prope posititioi in the auch slots when 3turned and pulled in the the knuckle in its dillcreni: ,'iositions.direction of its longitudinal axis, whereby 3. In a car-coupler, thecombination with the lever may be locked andthe latch 2i! held adraw-head, of a. knuckle, havin;f a pivot-pin retracted, so that theknuckle in the drawslot composed. et eommunicatingbranehslots hea-d willbe freed and coupling prevented. disposed substan `allyat right anglesto each The bearing has a bearing-block 4S, kept other, a pivot-pinpassing through said slot, continually in contact with the lever by a anarc-shaped riben the knuckle, and an arccoil-spring tthwhicli bearsagainst the car, so shaped groove in the draw-head adapted to thatturning of the lever by the jolting of the receive said rib,substantially as described. ear is prevented. When the uncoupling-le- 4.In a car-coupler, the combination with ver is 1n its normal position,the arm at its a draw-head coinnosed of sections pivoted toinuer endlies against the side of the cai-,with gcther and adapted to expand, ofexternal the wiper-head back of the inclined upper end ot' the latch.Upon turning the crank means for keeping` said sections normally lclosed, and a link pivotcd to one section cxthe arm 1s raised and thehead 43 engages tending through the mouth of the coupler and andmovcsthe upper end of the latch, causconnected to the other section by aslot-anding its lower end to disengage the tail of the pin connection,substantially as described. knuckle and allowing the parts to uncouple.'lhe lever can then be locked, as before de- 5. In a car-coupler, thecombination with a draw-head collines/2Fl ti Yo sections pivoted IOO IIO

together, of means for keeping the sections normally closed, a link adjustably connectin g the sections together and a bar connected to saidlink and also connected to one of the sections, substantially asdescribed.

In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head having a recess orchamber, of a tail-boltfhaving a rounded head free to turn in saidchamber, a cap forlsaid chamber and a fastening for the cap,substantially as described.

7. In a car-coupler, thecombination with a draw-head, of a couplingmechanism, a mov able latch for locking the coupling mechanism, acoil-spring having one end seated in the draw-head and the other endbearing against the latch, a pin havin g one end loosely pivotcd and itsother end movable in a slot in thedraW-head, a link connecting the latchwith the pin and passing through the coilspring, and a trip adapted toengage the free end of the pin when the draw-head becomes detached,substantially as described.

S. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head, of couplingmechanism, a releasable latch for securing the coupling mechanism, a pinpassed loosely through the drawhead, a link connecting the pin to thelatch, a spring for actuating the latch and pin, and adrawhead-supporting yoke adapted to engage the pin and release the latchwhen the draw-head becomes detached, substantially as described. v I

9. .The combination with a draw-head and coupling mechanism carriedthereby, of a latch for said coupling mechanism; a rockableuncoupling-lever having a Wiper-arm adapted to engage the latch, aspring-pressed bearing for said lever which acts as a brake therefor,and means for locking the lever in uncoupling position, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I ai'lix presence of two witnesses.

ALONZO KELLY.

my signature in Witnesses:

W. H. KISTER,

WM. C. ARMOR.

